Tool for removing and installing water meters

ABSTRACT

A tool for rotating nuts remotely located in a confined space and comprising a wrench head for engaging the nut, a handle bar, and a pair of connecting arms disposed parallel to each other with one end of one arm pivotally connected to the handle and the othe end pivotally connected to one side of the wrench head, and with one end of the other arm pivotally connected to the handle and the other end pivotally connecteed to the opposite side of the wrench head.

United States Patent Rovai TOOL FOR REMOVING AND INSTALLING WATER METERSOTHER PUBLICATIONS Nowlan, P. & Calkins, D.; Buck Rogers, 2429 A.D.";

Aug. 5, 1975 The Washington Post, Mar. 10, 1930.

Primary ExaminerAl Lawrence Smith Assistant Examiner-James G. SmithAttorney. Agent, or FirmSchatzel & Hamrick [57] ABSTRACT A tool forrotating nuts remotely located in a confined space and comprising awrench head for engaging the nut, a handle bar, and a pair of connectingarms disposed parallel to each other with one end of one arm pivotallyconnected to the handle and the othe end pivotally connected to one sideof the wrench head, and with one end of the other arm pivotallyconnected to the handle and the other end pivotally connecteed to theopposite side of the wrench head.

3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures TOOL FOR REMOVING AND INSTALLING WATERMETERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The presentinvention relates generally to wrenches and more particularly, to aspecial purpose wrench having particular utility relative to theinstallation and maintenance of water meters.

2. Description of the Prior Art Water meters are normally installedwithin a relatively small housing which, because of the proximity of theside walls, severely restricts the use of ordinary wrenches to tightenor loosen nuts connecting water pipes to the meter. One prior artattempt to provide a special purpose tool for use in this environment isdisclosed in the U.S. Pat. to Harris, No. 3,691,877. However, the Harrispatent suffers from the disadvantage that its operation is complex interms of manipulative steps.

OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION It is therefore a principal objectiveof the present invention to provide an improved water meter nut turningtool which is simple in structure and easy to use.

Briefly, the preferred embodiment of the present invention is comprisedof a wrench head for engaging a nut located in a confined space, ahandle bar, and a pair of connecting arms disposed parallel to eachother with one end of one arm pivotally connected to the handle and theother end pivotally connected to one side of the wrench head, and withone end of the other arm pivotally connected to the handle and the otherend pivotally connected to the opposite side of the wrench head.

Among the advantages of the present invention is that the particularconfiguration of handle, wrench head and connecting arms permits thehead to rapidly engage and disengage a nut while also enablingsubstantial turning leverage to be applied thereto.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art after having read the followingdetailed disclosure of the preferred embodiment illustrated in theseveral figures of the drawing.

IN THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating a wrench inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the wrench illustrated in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to thedrawing, a preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed whichincludes a wrench head 10, a pair of connecting arms 12 and 14, and ahandle bar I6.

Head is comprised of a generally octagonallyshaped plate made of heavygauge, high strength metal and having nut engaging notches 18, 20, 22and 24 cut in four of its eight sides. As illustrated, the notches arefive-sided for engaging octagonal nuts, but may alternatively be of anyother configuration suited for engaging other types of nuts. Head 10 isalso provided with three pairs of round apertures 26, 28 and 30 whichare positioned relative to the several notches as illustrated.

Connecting arms 12 and 14 are of identical structure and each includesan elongated shaft portion of any suitable length which terminates in abifurcated lower end portion 32 for receiving head 10 and a bifurcatedupper end portion 34 for receiving handle bar 16. The branch members 36and 38 forming end portion 32 are thickened slightly at 40 and 42respectively, to provide bearing surfaces for engaging the sides of head10, and are bored as indicated to receive the pivot pins 44. Pivot pins44 are locked in place by suitable locking means such as the cotter keys46.

The upper end portions of arms 12 and 14 are pivotally attached tohandle bar 16 by suitable rivots, bolts or the like as illustrated at48. The two connections are made at points equidistant from therespective ends of the handle. The length of bar 16 is selected suitableto allow sufficient differential leverage to be applied to head 10 tobreak loose even the tightest threaded nuts. As indicated previously,the arms I2 and 14 must at all times be parallel, therefore therespective spacings between the handle pivot points and and head pivotpoints must be equal.

In operation, the pins 44 are removed and the head is rotated until thenotch corresponding to the particular nut to be loosened (or tightened)is located in the position shown occupied by notch 18. The pins are thenreplaced to attach the arms to the pair of apertures nearest theselected notch, and the wrench is applied to the nut while holding oneend of handle 16 in each hand. One handle end is then pushed and theother pulled depending upon the desired direction of turn, and theresulting torque forces are transmitted through arms I2 and 14 to head10 to turn the nut. It is important to note that it is necessary torotate the arms 12 and 14 (about the nut axis) as was required withprior art devices in order to apply large torque forces to the nut.Quite to the contrary, in using the present invention the turning torqueis applied to the nut with no revolution whatsoever of the connectingarms. Thus, the device can be used in any case where the accesspassageway is large enough to admit the wrench head.

Although it is contemplated that after having read the precedingdisclosure certain alterations and modifications of the presentinvention will no doubt become apparent to those skilled in the art, itis intended that the following claims be interpreted to cover all suchalterations and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scopeof the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A wrench device comprising:

a wrench head having at least one notch configured to mate with anobject to be rotated;

an elongated handle bar; and

a pair of elongated connecting arms disposed in parallel with eachother, said arms respectively having one end pivotally connected todifferent ones of a pair of separated points along the mid-portion ofsaid handle bar and an opposite end pivotally connected to said head atone of a pair of points which are respectively equidistant from oppositesides of said notch.

2. A wrench device as recited in claim 1 wherein said wrench headincludes a plurality of notches of different sizes.

3. A wrench device as recited in claim 1 wherein each said end of eachof said connecting arms is bifurcated to respectively receive saidhandle bar and said wrench head and wherein said pivotal connections aremade by pins which respectively pass through said one end and saidhandle, and through said opposite ends and said wrench head.

1. A wrench device comprising: a wrench head having at least one notchconfigured to mate with an object to be rotated; an elongated handlebar; and a pair of elongated connecting arms disposed in parallel witheach other, said arms respectively having one end pivotally connected todifferent ones of a pair of separated points along the mid-portion ofsaid handle bar and an opposite end pivotally connected to said head atone of a pair of points which are respectively equidistant from oppositesides of said notch.
 2. A wrench device as recited in claim 1 whereinsaid wrench head includes a plurality of notches of different sizes. 3.A wrench device as recited in claim 1 wherein each said end of each ofsaid connecting arms is bifurcated to respectively receive said handlebar and said wrench head and wherein said pivotal connections are madeby pins which respectively pass through said one end and said handle,and through said opposite ends and said wrench head.